Former UFC Double Champion Conor McGregor could return to the octagon earlier than expected next year, following his horrific leg-break in July.
At UFC 264, the Irishman shattered his left tibia and fibula at the end of the first round of his trilogy fight with fellow Lightweight Dustin Poirier.
However, speaking with SunSport last month, McGregor’s manager revealed the former Champ is “ahead of schedule”.
“We not only just got our X-ray results [back], [we got] our ultrasound results and CT scan results.
"And when I look at the view of the X-ray myself, it's healing so beautifully. He's only 10-and-a-half weeks out of surgery and he's walking.”
In recent weeks, the 33-year-old has even posted clips of himself in boxing training onto social media and Youtube.
With McGregor’s official return being rumoured for summer next year, it raises the question of who should be stood on the other side of the octagon that evening.
Nate Diaz
Who wouldn’t want to see these two throw down?
With just one fight left on his contract, it makes sense to let Diaz bow out in a trilogy fight against McGregor.
The rivalry between these two stretches back to March 2016, when they first faced off and Diaz went home with the spoils from UFC 196.
The series stands at 1-1 after McGregor’s victory later that year - and fight fans across the world will want to see this score settled.
If it’s anything to go off, the last bout between them was voted as one of the greatest from the past decade.
Max Holloway
Former UFC Featherweight Champion Max Holloway might be in action this weekend against Yair Rodriguez, but that hasn’t stopped McGregor from stirring the pot.
In the build up this week, McGregor and Holloway have traded verbal blows on social media and has fans eager to see the two face-off.
Since their last fight in 2013, where McGregor won via unanimous decision, both fighters have grown exponentially.
With Holloway being known as “the best boxer in the UFC”, it’d be a tough challenge for the Irishman.
Michael Chandler
Since joining the UFC in January this year, Chandler has had a tough run.
After a TKO victory over Dan Hooker, the Nashville fighter has gone on to lose his last two fights against formidable opponents Charles Oliviera and Justin Gaethje.
Despite this, the three-time Bellator Lightweight Champion would still pose a mean threat for McGregor, with Chandler’s wrestling pedigree being well known in the fight scene.
It’s a bout where both men would be looking to prove the doubters wrong and rectify their current record.
Tony Ferguson
Perhaps one of the most erratic, unpredictable and unlucky fighters on the UFC roster, Tony Ferguson would make a great comeback opponent for McGregor.
Ferguson has somehow never held or had the opportunity to compete for a UFC title, despite being Interim Lightweight Champion on two occasions.
And off now, off the back of a three fight loss streak, seems further from gold than ever. With both men having a point to prove, now seems better than ever to book them in together.
The pair also used to be represented by Paradigm, who Ferguson believes gave McGregor preferential treatment before he sought new representation.
The stylistic match-up between the two would ensure this’d be a fight to remember.
Dustin Poirier